Letters to the Editor

First, my thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the New
York and Pennsylvania disasters.

I waited to see when this subject would come back up after watching
it appear so many times last year - the fly zone for the military.
Well, it did come up and I want a small part of say-so in it.

Come on, neighbors, what were you thinking? Anyone can see how
close the Naval Weapons Station that leads to Camp Pendleton is.
It's on our main road called Ammunition. What were you
thinking?

We are privileged to live in San Diego, home of how many bases, how
many military personnel, how many Navy ships that call our harbor
home? Has anyone ever wondered why San Diego wasn't attacked? I
have, and although I can't say it isn't a possibility, I am sure
all this military support here made the terrorists think twice.

I hear that same noise every night and day. Yes, it rattles my
windows, even interrupts my favorite TV show and sleep. And at
times I have to remind myself that the noisy helicopter was once
the sound of freedom to our men who served in previous wars. I
would rather have them fly over me then to have to send them off to
unknown enemy countries, as we might have to.

To the men and women of the military, I salute you all. My freedom
is because of you. Bless you all.

ANNETTE CASTANEDA

Fallbrook

Observations from the liberal left

Hillary Clinton, the standard bearer of left-wing liberalism, chose
not to sing the national anthem at the day of prayer at Yankee
Stadium on Sept. 23.

Derrick Z. Jackson, Boston Globe columnist, on Sept. 19 said, "God
cannot be all that happy with a nation that is 5 percent of the
world's population and produces a quarter of Earth's carbon dioxide
emissions, yet walks out of global warming talks." J. Howard Crews
(Letters, Sept. 15) says, "It is true we as a people do
incalculable violence to this land and Mother Earth, greater even
than terrorists do to our own national psyche."

Richard Crews (Letters, Sept. 21) says, "In fact, there's only a 25
percent chance Bush will do the right thing. Every cloud has a
silver lining; if the other Arab nations cut us off from their oil,
our greenhouse gas output will certainly lessen."

These are just my observations of the statements of the liberal
left.

You decide on what they mean, as always.

PHILIP GILBERT

Valley Center

Terrorists have awakened our patriotic spirit

As Americans, our daily lives have been shaken, the near future is
filled with anxiety and a shadow of sadness dims the surrounding
light. What these madmen don't understand is that as Americans we
will not cower in fear. Our patriotism was ignited by their
horrendous act, and they have awakened the spirit that for a
generation has passed in slumber.

A spirit that was born of people gathering in a far land seeking
the freedom to pray as they wished, to create a home for their
families and the opportunity to achieve their dreams. The spirit
was created by accepting the fellowship of strangers from other
lands, joining in a common goal to be free, to be Americans.

Americans didn't have a goal of being the world's super power, we
wanted to live in peace. But throughout our history, other madmen,
despots and egomaniacs have created the crucible that forged the
foundation of our position in the world today.

Our flag was at half-mast reflecting our sorrow for those Americans
and others who perished on Sept. 11. When we raised it to the
masthead again, hidden in its shadow was another symbol, another
flag created in our struggle for independence. Its slogan - "Don't
tread on me."

To those who sought to shake our democracy: Beware, you have
awakened our patriotic spirit and shall reap that which you
sowed.

CHARLES HARP

Escondido

Readers offer ideas on how we should think

I see it didn't take long for some of our ranting regulars to link
the tragedy in New York to their own pet ideas on how everyone
should think. I refer to Mr. William Lolli ("Armed citizens will
deter violence," Sept. 27) and Ms. Barbara Vickroy ("Take close
look at immigration procedures," Sept. 27).

Mr. Lolli's ideas on gun-totin' airline passengers are similar to
the ideas some had a few months ago of arming high school teachers
and students so they could shoot back at the nuts who carry guns on
campus. His idea has the added bonus of explosive decompression
onboard a high-flying airliner.

Ms. Vickroy, whose ancestors were obviously the first people ever
born in this country, seeks to tie in her distrust of anyone who
picks her fruits and vegetables with those other kinds of nasty
aliens who use student and travel visas. You know the kind, the
educated ones.

I will also predict that soon Mr. Irvin H. Forbing will disclose
what we have all long suspected - the universe is only 3 weeks old,
and anything that anyone claims happened longer ago than that only
happened in the imaginary dreams of an evolutionist.

ERIC PARISH

Vista

Choose to live life one day at a time

Life was going well for me and mine, and then this monstrosity.
What now, I ask? We are all faced with recovery from the pain of
this new disease we now share. This is something we must deal with
for the rest of our lives. We cannot change what has happened.
However, we can decide how we as individuals will react and how
this will affect our lives. We can choose to give up or we can
choose to go on. I choose life, one day at a time.

For today, this moment, is all we are sure we have. We are more
aware now than ever before that tomorrow may never come. So I
choose to live life for today, going on with my daily routine and
trying not to put the important things off until tomorrow.

And if by fate, tomorrow doesn't come, then me, mine and my God
will know that I didn't give up. I choose to live today believing
that there will be a tomorrow. One day at a time.

For we all know now what a difference a day makes. Sept. 11 has
proven that. God bless the world.

ALLISON JOHNSON

Oceanside

What does an American look like?

On Sept. 23 at foggy Qualcomm Stadium I was able to see what anAmerican looks like.# That morning over 60,000 people gathered tomake the human flag.# It was spectacular! There were people of allcolors, shapes and sizes participating.# And they were allAmericans.

An American is someone who is free.# It does not matter what
religion they believe in, what they look like, or where they were
born.# An American believes in their country.# It does not matter
whether or not they speak English; they might not even speak at
all.# It's what's inside that counts. If they are patriotic, they
are an American.

In some countries people are discriminated against and are not
liked there.# Here in America we are free and that is why
immigrants came to Ellis Island.# You might dress different, sound
different, look differently and have different preferences, but as
long as you live here you are an American.# We are all equal under
God.

Ever since Sept. 11th's tragedy we have been closer as a country.#
No matter how we look, God created us all equal, and we will always
be equal.# It's just how it will always be.# We are Americans.#We
are free.

NICHOLAS MERK

age 11

Vista

Freedom does not save us from evil

#If the attack on Sept. 11 had never taken place, I wonder just how
long it would have taken us to wake up to the insidious evil
festering undercover in our nation.

We have been so settled into our comfortable complacency, almost
naively believing that our democratic tolerance would protect us
from those who do not believe as we do. We assume that God is on
the side of good. We believe we are good when we compare our nation
with those that practice unspeakable atrocities and repression. But
tolerance, equality and freedom are no guarantee for exemption from
the consequences of evil.

Our greatest naivete is to believe what has been preached
throughout the 20th century by our so-called enlightened society:
that man is inherently good. Those of us who believe in the sinful
nature of mankind are saddened but not surprised by the events of
Sept. 11.

We are realists. There will always be evil in this world. We praise
God for waking up our wonderful nation before much greater and more
widespread devastation befell us.

I really believe that without Sept. 11, we, with our faith in
tolerance and freedom, would never have allowed the necessary
limitations we are now installing to prevent wholesale
massacre.

The attack was horrendous, but as always, God brings good out of
evil.

BARRY JONES

Fallbrook

More guns will not stop the violence

There are over 200 million firearms in this country, and the NRAproudly tells us many more are being sold every day. And we aretold in letters here that the solution to violence in this countryis even more guns and less control.

In my 47 years of life more Americans have died by firearms in this
country than the 1.1 million Americans killed in all the wars in
our country's history, with many more wounded by firearms during
that time than the 1.4 million wounded in all of our wars.

If several hundred million guns are not enough to stop the
violence, then I cannot understand the logic of further saturating
our country with more guns.

This strategy certainly has not been effective yet.

STEPHEN PFINGST

Del Mar

Naturalized citizen affirms right to speak

Mike Kania is clearly upset (Letters, Sept. 28) at my views
concerning why the U.S. is hated in many parts of the Muslim and
non-Muslim world. I can understand his anger at the terrorist
attack on the World Trade Center and share his outrage, since it
has affected me on a very personal level.

However, when he lashes out at anyone who attempts to offer an
explanation for this act, he is displaying the same impotent rage
that was a controlling factor in the terrorist action. In effect,
he is playing into their hands.

As a naturalized American, I probably appreciate the freedoms of
this society more than most U.S.-born people, who often take them
for granted. This country guarantees me many liberties that are
denied to people in other countries. I believe in affirming these
liberties by not fearing to exercise my rights and by saying what I
consider to be the truth.

The points I made in my letter are not original to me. They have
been oft-stated in such "socialist rags" as the London Times, the
Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. They have also been
covered in the North County Times.

SORAB K. GHANDHI

Escondido

Fear is just one reason people are not flying

I would appreciate it if someone could get word to the president,
the administration and the Congress and tell them that before they
put a fortune of our money into providing more security for the
airlines trying to get people flying again, they should take a look
at other customer concerns.

Safety fears are not as much of a deterrent to the flying public as
the hassle and the lack of customer service are.# High ticket
prices, tiny seats, overcrowed conditions and the surly flight
attendants give people reasons to stop flying.# Couple that with
the cavalier treatment of the passengers' time and the airlines'
own schedules, and maybe we might not need to go at all.

That's the big fear that has become air travel in America. Sept. 11
was just the last straw, a turning point where we, the traveling
public, just didn't want to take it anymore.# That's what I
think.

If I could tag along on Air Force One, maybe I#'d reschedule that
appointment that I was able to cancel out of fear.

TOM TIGHE

Valley Center

Freedom is not neat and tidy

Responding to the Sept. 17 letter by Denise Denington regarding the
pictures of aborted fetuses at schools: She needs to understand
that the issue is not abortion; rather it is the First Amendment
right to free speech. We cannot deny the protesters their rights
without losing our own.

The best example is the speech that most disturbs. Her child will
survive and in the long run be grateful because she lives in a
country that allows its citizens to be confronted by images that
are not easy to take. Freedom is not neat and tidy; that is left to
the tyrannical.

The bills are on the desk of Gov. Gray Davis for signature. Please,
everyone, contact the governor at (916) 445-2841, or at
governor@governor.ca.gov to veto these bills.

KATY O'CONNELL

Oceanside

O'side council misguided on El Corazon

Mayor Terry Johnson refers to El Corazon petitioners as being
"misguided." On the contrary, I believe the City Council is being
misguided into giving Manchester ownership to the entire 450-acre
parcel.

Long-term, we need more parks and another municipal course. We
should not be giving away our options.

Keeping in mind that the present Oceanside Municipal Golf Course
takes up only 150 acres, less offensive alternatives to giving away
the property would be a long-term lease on enough property for the
golf course and resort facilities,# ownership of the property for
the resort facilities and a 99-year lease on the golf course.

I recently spent two mornings on the 11th tee of the Oceanside
Municipal Golf Course gathering signatures in support of El Corazon
Park petition. Ironically, all the players wanted to see a golf
course built on the El Corazon property. The 64 who signed the
petition want a public course they can afford to play.

At my last reading of the Manchester proposal, there was no wording
that guaranteed the public would always have access to the course.
As owner, Manchester could sell it to anyone as a private layout.
That's terribly shortsighted on the part of the council. Now who's
misguided?

JACK W. ANDERSON

Oceanside

Support troops with purple ribbon

Recently I was forwarded an e-mail from a gunnery sergeant in the
U.S. Marine Corps who lives here in Temecula and is stationed at
Camp Pendleton. The e-mail had been forwarded to her by other
service members, and she passed it along to me. The e-mail requests
that everyone display a purple ribbon to show our support of the
military operations "Operation Noble Eagle," "Operation Enduring
Freedom," and "Operation Infinite Justice."

The purple ribbon is intended to resemble the award given the
service members injured in battle, the Purple Heart. All Americans,
and indeed, all civilized human beings, have been injured in this
"battle." Just as we displayed yellow ribbons during Desert Storm,
these purple ribbons will signify to each and every member of our
Armed Services that the world is behind them 100 percent, we
appreciate their sacrifice on our behalf, and we're saying prayers
for their safe and quick return. I am proudly displaying my purple
ribbon on the front of my home, right next to my American flag. I
urge all Americans to do the same.

Carol Alvarez

Temecula

Children should be taught respect, safety

For years my husband and I tried to have children. I thought God
was punishing me, but once I held my first bundle of joy, I knew
God was only enhancing my parental skills. The simple phrase "there
is a place and time" brought safety to my children as well as
respect and consideration for others.

My small children were not allowed to stand up or bounce around in
shopping carts. I made sure they remained safely seated. My small
and adolescent children were not free to run wild and get in the
way of other shoppers. They were not to leave my sight or reach
while in stores, malls, parking lots or other potentially dangerous
zones.

When my children choose to have children, I hope they treasure
being a parent as much as I do and remember to lovingly teach
respect, safety and consideration.